Machine for drying toothpicks.



No. 709,050. Patented Sept. -|6, I902.

0.-F. SGAMMAN, Dend. r. LfscAMMAu. Administratrix; 'MAGHINE FOR DRYING TOOTHPIGKS.

1(NoModel.)

(Application filed Jan. 20, 190B.)

UNITED STATES PATENT FFlCE.

CHARLES E. SCAMMAN, OF PORTLAND, MAINE; 'lHALIA L. SCAMMAN ADMINISTRATRIX OF SAID CHARLES E. SCAMMAN, DECEASED.

MACHINE FOR DRYING TOOTHPICKS.

:PEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 709,050, dated September 16, 1902.

Application filed January 20, 1902. Serial No. 90,514. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES F. SCAMMAN, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Portland, Cumberland county, State of Maine, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Drying Toothpicks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved construction of the apparatus shown in my Patout No. 585,289, dated June29, 1897, for apparatus for handling and packing toothpicks. In that patent was shown a vertical spout located beneath the toothpick-forming machines and into which the picks dropped as they were formed and down which they passed in a solid vertical column through the drier. Two opposite sides of this spout were made solid and had inner surfaces composed of endless belts which moved slowly downward to carry the column of picks positively to the bottom of the spout, and the two remaining sides of the spout were composed of wiregauze, through which hot air was blown as the spout passed through the drier to dry the picks. The sides of the picks rested against the moving belts, and the ends were presented to the wire-gauze sides. The lower ends of the Wire-gauze sides had rigid supports extending across the spout, so that whereas along the body of the spout the wire-gauze sides had a little flexibility, at its lower end, where it was rigidly secured, it had no flexibility. In the practical use of these machines it occasionally happened that instead of being evenly disposed in the spout, all lying in one direction,the picks would become crossed, forming a bunch in the spout, which as it passed down through would tend to press outward against the wire-gauze sides. The slight elasticity of the gauze would allow the bunch to pass along without clogging until the rigid support at the bottom was reached, when the bunch would lodge and stop the entire column. This process occurring repeatedly at the same point would stretch the wire-gauze immediately above the rigid support, forming a permanent recess or pocket, which aggravated the difficulty and caused a stoppage every time a bunch of picks came down through.

The object of my present invention is to avoid this difficulty, and I accomplish it by providing for the lower end of the gauze a slightly-yielding lateral spring-support, preferably in the form of a fiat spring-plate, pressing against the outside of the gauze.

I illustrate my invention by means of the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section through the lower end of the vertical spout. Fig. 2 is a section on the line a; a: of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a section on the line y y of Fig. 1.

C C represent the two solid sides of the spout with the endless belt 0 running inside. The two'other sides of the spout are formed by the wire-gauze A, the lower end of which is fastened on the rigid support or ledge g.

d represents the body of toothpicks in the spout, and B is the endless belt at the lower end of the spout for carrying thepicks away.

As already stated, the bunches of picks which come down distend the wire-gauze immediately above the rigid support g, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1. For the purpose of preventing this action I support the lower end of the wire-gauze against an internal pressure by a yielding or spring-supported plate. As here shown, I make use of the flat springf, the upper portion of which is socured to the ledge e and the lower or free end bears against the face of the wire-gauze at or near its lower end or just above the rigid support g. The action of this spring is as followszOrdinarily when the toothpicks come down straight they are not brought into use; but when bunches of disarranged picks come down, pressing outward against the wiregauze as they descend, the springs on each side tend to press them inward and relieve any tendency to stretch the wire. By the use of this simple device the spouts are absolutely prevented from clogging and the prod net of the toothpickmachine is increased very materially.

I claim-- 1. In a machine for drying toothpicks the combination of a vertical spout for conveying the toothpicks in a solid column through the drier, said spout having one or more of itsi sides formed of wire-gauze or other like flexible material, a rigid support to which the ing the toothpicks in a solid column through the drier, said spout having one or more of its sides formed of Wire-gauze or other like flexible material, a rigid support to which the lower end of said Wire-gauze is secured and a flat spring-supported plate resting against the outside of the gauze immediately above the rigid support.

3. In a machine for drying toothpicks the combination of a vertical spout for conveying the toothpicks in a solid column through the drier, said spout having one or more of its sides formed of wire-gauze or other like flexible material, the lower end of the Wiregauze being provided with a slightly-yielding spring-support adapted to resist pressure from the inside of the spout.

Signed at Portland, Maine, this 16th day of January, 1902.

CHARLES F. SCAMMAN. Witnesses:

BENJ. G. WARD, S. W. BATES. 

